Joseph w



J. W. REINHART.

Locked-Switch. v

No. 225,643. .Patented Mar'. v16, 1880.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH W. REINHART, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO JAMES MCHENRY REINHART, OF SAME PLAGE.

LOCKED SWITCH.l

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 225,643, dated'March 16, 1880. Application filed August 18, 1879.

To all whom t-mcty concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH W. REINHART, of Pittsburg, in the county oi' Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locked Switches; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification, in which- Figure l represents a plan of my improved single-throw selflocking switch -leverg and Fig. 2, a side elevation of the same, but with the lever reversed to change the switch.

My invention relates to that class of singlethrow switch-levers which, when the switch is set either for the main track or the siding, the switch-lever itself rests ilat on the track or ground.

The invention consists in combining with such a lever an automatic lock of peculiar construction and catches, so that the moment the lever is depressed to its place on either side to change the switch the same lock will have locked the lever fast.

It also consists in combining with such lever anlautomatic lock having two side openings for the admission of the locking hook or catch, as also two side openings for the key to unlock it, so that, no matter to which side the switch-lever is turned or thrown, there will always be an opening on. such side for the admission of the lock-catch and an opening for the key to unlock it when it is desired to change the switch. l

To enable others skilled in the art to make, construct, and use my improvement, I will now proceed to describe it in detail, omitting a particular description ot' such parts of a switch as are unnecessary to a full understanding of the invention.

The frame A, which supports the switchlever, and to which it is attached, may be of any suitable shape, size, construction, and material. Ordinarily it will suffice to make it of a good stout piece of timber.

B represents the switch-lever mounted in two bearings, a a, securely mounted and fastened to the frame-piece A. Switch-lever B is provided with a crank-wrist, b, the outer end of which is provided with an arm, c, and which carries one of the pivotal axes d of the lever B. To the crank-wrist b is hinged the outer end of the switch-rod that operates the switchrails.

Switch-lever B, and which I prefer to make of metal, I form with a bend, (shown at 6,) so as to form a recess for .the reception of a lock, G, and which is firmly secured or bolted to lever B in any suitable and known way. The lock O is provided with a slot, f, which traverses it from side to side, the open ends of which are indicated at j, and with a single spring lock-bolt, g, (shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2,) for the purpose about to be described.

D D represent two catches or hooks, rmly bolted or otherwise secured to the frame A, the hook-faces of which face each other, each having a notch, z', into which it is intended the spring lock-bolt g of the lock will take when the lever is suitably depressed at either side for the purpose. rIhese hooks are so arranged with respect to the openings at the ends of slot' j', on the two sides of the lock, that in turning the lever B down on either side one of the hooks, D or D', will enter freely into slot fand allow the lever to descend until the lock rests upon the frame-plate K of said catches.

The upper end of hooks or catches D D' is beveled or curved, as shown in Fig. 2, to give it free entrance into the slot f of the lock, as also to gradually and smoothly force back the spring lock-bolt g until the latter reaches the notch t' in the catches, when the spring of the lock-bolt, and which, during the descent, has

`been compressed by the forcing back of the bolt, reacts and forces the latter into notch t', thus locking the lever B fast to the frame or bed-plate, and where it will be firmly held un til unlocked for the purpose of changing the switch.

On each side of the lock is arranged a keyhole, m, by which the key can be inserted to unlock the lever. These key-holes are on the same sides of the lock as the openings j to the slotf. By this Inode of combining the lock IOO with the lever it will be seen that any thrust or strain from the switch-rod is brought to bear directly upon the pivotal bearings d of the lever, and not upon the lock, so that the latter is subjected to no unusual strain from the switch onthe passage of the cars.

In view of what has already been said it will be apparent that no special description of the operation is required further than to say that if we suppose that in Fig. l the switchlever is represented in its proper position when the switch is set for the main track, then Fig. 2 will represent its position when set for the siding, to effect which it was merely necessary to unlock it and turn it in the direction of the arrows until it reaches the position shown in said gure, when the change will have been made and the lever locked.

Having described my invention, what I zo claim is- 1. The combination of a sin gle-throw switchlever, B, and catches D D with an automatic lock, G, constructed substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of a single-throw switchlever, B, and an automatic lock, O, having a slot,f, with openings j at opposite sides of the lock, and a spring lock-bolt, g, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of a single-throw lever, B, and an automatic lock provided with a spring lock-bolt, g, a slot, f, having openings j on opposite sides of the lock, and key-openings m on the same sides of the lock, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 3d day of July, 1879.

JOSEPH W. REINHART.

Witnesses:

F. B. BROCK, H. A. HALL. 

